Currently, many image capturing apparatuses using image sensors have a live view function in which, while continuously exposing the image sensor, live view images generated based on sequentially read image signals are sequentially displayed on a display device placed on the back side or the like of the apparatus. The live view function may be referred to as an electronic viewfinder (EVF) function, a through display function, or the like (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-319306).
Further, the image capturing apparatus carries out metering in parallel with the live view display, uses a well-known automatic exposure control function to determine the exposure (a combination of the aperture value and the shutter speed) for shooting and control the exposure for acquiring images to be used for the live view display.
Images for the live view display are images acquired by carrying out sequential shooting. Thus, live view images, and in particular the brightness (luminance) thereof, will vary depending on how the shooting conditions, specifically, the exposure conditions, are set.
However, conventionally, sufficient consideration has not been given to how the exposure conditions for images to be used for live view display are best controlled in accordance with the display mode for the live view display, and live view display in accordance with the purpose of the user has not necessarily been carried out.